The Columbia International University Men's Basketball team came into tonight's game riding high coming off a last second win over Point University. The Rams opponent did not get any easier as they traveled to Montreat College to take on the Cavaliers who are receiving votes in the recent NAIA poll and are the top team in the conference. The Rams played complete and solid forty-minutes as they upset the Cavaliers 97-86. With the win the Rams move to 9-7 (4-6 AAC), while the Cavaliers fall to 11-3 (8-2 AAC).

1st Half Highlights:

• The Cavaliers opened the game with the first four points, but Tajae Anderson would get the Rams on the board with a three off an assist from Damian Hurta
• The teams would go back and forth as they pulled within two off layups from Jeff McIlwain and Arthur Pearson
• The Rams would tie the game at 22 off a pull up jumper by Corey Benton
• The Cavaliers would hit a three of their own, but a three point play by Eric Graham tied the game again
• A three by Benton and layup by Pearson gave the Rams a five point lead with 5:25 left in the half
• With just under three minutes left in the half the Rams took their biggest lead of the game off a three by Hurta
• The Rams would push the lead to eight on two more occasions
• Five straight points by the Cavaliers to close out the half trimmed the Rams lead, but at the half the Rams led 40-37

2nd Half Highlights:

• Benton would score the first points out of the half
• The Cavaliers would fight back to take a 49-48 lead with sixteen minutes left in the game
• On the next possession the Rams took the lead back on a jumper by Anderson
• The Cavaliers would take the lead back on a three, but the Rams would go on an 8-0 run to regain the lead. The Rams points came off a layup by McIlwain and three's by Eric Graham and Benton
• The Cavaliers pulled within two off the Rams on two occasions
• With just under nine minutes left in the game the Rams took a nine point lead on a layup by Pearson
• With two and half minutes left in the game the Rams took a commanding fourteen point lead
• Over the final two minutes the teams would go back and forth, but six straight free throws propelled the Rams past the Cavaliers, 97-86

Box Score Highlights:

• The Rams had their best offensive game of the season as they shot 57.1% (36-of-63) from the field and were 18-of-23 from the free throw line, while the Cavaliers shot 49.3% (33-of-67) and were 13-of-25 from beyond the arch...The Rams pulled down 34 rebounds and dominated with 48 points in the paint...Jeff McIlwain led the Rams with 23 points and 13 rebounds...Corey Benton had 22 points with six rebounds and three assists...Tajae Anderson and Arthur Pearson were the final Rams in double figures with 18 and 15 points a piece...The Cavaliers had three players in double figures with Austin Butler leading with 26 points

Up Next: The Rams will look to win three straight conference games on Saturday when they host Truett-McConnell University at 4 pm.